Muraq Stormhoof
Muraq Stormhoof is an elder of the Mistrunner Tribe, native to the Storm Peaks. Biography Muraq had humble beginnings. He was born in the Storm Peaks as a Stormhoof, to Taho Stormhoof and Lanalee Stormhoof, both of the Coldtotem Tribe. He led a happy life as a child, until his village was attacked by a band of gnolls with flaming torches. The whole village was destroyed, and he was one of few who managed to escape in time. As a young little tauren, there wasn’t much he could do to survive in the cold wild. He scavenged, fished, trapped small mammals, foraged for roots and berries, and lived in a small cave, where he befriended an abandoned Ice Bear cub. The two younglings grew older with each passing day. One night, when the snow of the storm peaks was illuminated by the thunderbolts dropping from the heavens, a Taunka hunter found Muraq and the bear sleeping in the small cave they called home. He decided to wait until they woke up, and sat down in the cave, and warmed himself by the small, crackling fire. The morning came, and the Taunka told Muraq that he was out hunting, when he found the cave. Later, the bear, Muraq, and the Taunka walked to the nearest Taunka village. Muraq was accepted among the tribe. Rite of Passage Muraq stood by the fire in the middle of the Taunka Village. His rite of passage will soon commence. His task was to go out in the wild for a month, and bring back fifty bear skins. Two of the village guards took him to the edge of the forest, and left him there. With bear at heel, he disappeared into the snow-covered woods. Time went by, and as his bond with the bear increased, he gradually learned the way of the bear. He did not have the heart to slay any bears, as he felt as one of them. In that wood, he hunted prey a bear would. Caribou, moose, elk, and the similar. The time has come to return to the village, and he is met by the two guards. The pack made of moose hide on his back seems filled of skins, so the guards quietly applaud him. Back at the village, the chief looks though his pack, finding only elk skins, caribou skins, reindeer skins, and a few wolf skins. Upon seeing Muraq has not brought back any bear skins, the Chief banishes him from the village. Muraq wandered the Storm Peaks, with his bear being his only companion. Sometimes they merge, creating one being, with the body of the bear, and the mind of the Tauren. Journey to Outland and back Muraq left Mulgore for Outland without informing the rest of the tribe. He started in Thrallmar, and hastily made his way across Outland to Shadowmoon Valley. There, he met a Goblin, who called himself Yarzill. Yarzill, somehow recognising Muraq, told him about the Netherwing problem with the Dragonmaw Orcs. Yarzill offered to have Muraq adopt a guise of a Dragonmaw orc, in return for subtly entering the ranks of the Dragonmaw, rising through them, and destroying the clan from within. Muraq accepted, knowing there would be a fruitful reward. With every promotion, Muraq earned more and more of the orcs' trust. Later, when Muraq was being promoted to Leutinant, Yarzill organised a meeting on one of the floating islands around Netherwing Ledge. Yarzill told Muraq the time to strike was now, and gave him some instructions. Muraq followed them, freeing all, of not most, of the Netherwing drakes in the process. In return, three of the drakes he freed accompanied him. Zaliase, Oniksas, and Kydras. Personality Muraq is usually silent, unless there is need for talking. Months in a cold, harsh wilderness have made his endurance much more significant than most other Tauren of his age. He is not greedy, as he has been naturally taught to be thankful of what he has. Appearance Muraq can usually be seen in gear he has made himself, from resources available in the Storm Peaks. He usually wears a mask fashioned out of a frostworg head, shoulderguards made of rhino leather, adorned with frostworg teeth, among other things. A hollowed out and decorated rhino horn is strapped to his belt, ready for use. He wears a necklace with a bear tooth as a pendant, with small knucklebones all threaded onto a rawhide string. Following him is usually an Ice bear, who's eyes resemble Muraq's. After his journey to Outland Muraq wears his usual gear, with a few additions. Instead of rhino-leather shoulderguards, he wears larger pauldrons made of wood and leather, with a glowing skull strapped to each pauldron. In adittion to a large Ironwood hammer on his back, he holds a wooden fist weapon in the shape of a bear's head. A small flame glows in between the jaws.